Bee-mimic Beetle
14 June
Bee-mimic Beetle
A fascinating new insect for my personal life-list … rather proving the point that if you don’t take “notice” and keep looking, even in places that you know really well and have worked to death for new species, something will come along to make you stop.
This was on a rose in the garden. It is a Scarab, specifically a Bee-mimic Beetle (Trichiotinus assimilis) which is also known as the hairy flower scarab.
The larva feeds on decaying woody plant material, of which we have a fair selection. Unlike the infamous Japanese Beetles, which are also Scarabs, they are not a pest.
So cool! Yes, it just takes calm and powers of observation. We hear so much about the lack of insects, but you've opened our eyes to so many different ones. Thanks. I hope it isn't going to be a big year for the Japanese beetles. It wasn't too bad last year.
"if you don’t take “notice” and keep looking" Let's hear it for the spotter!! I was actually checking to make sure it wasn't an early start to the Japanese beetle season......